Fireproof blind.



I BATENTED MAR. 23, 1904.

E. H. MOCLOUD. FIREPROOF BLIND.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.15, 1902.

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UNITED STATES Patented March 8, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD H. MOCLOUD, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE KINNEAR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

FIREPROOF BLIND.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 754,002, dated March 8, 1904.

Application filed November 15, 1902. Serial No. 131,556. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD H. McCLoUD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fireproof Blinds; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates more particularly to fireproof shutters of the kind that are automatically released and lowered upon the occurrence of a fire in the vicinity of the building in which they are installed.

My invention consists in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating one embodiment of the improvements, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the construction, the curtain-roller and a portion of'one of the end casings being in section. Fig. 2 is a view, on a larger scale, in side elevation of that end of the casing or roller-supporting bracket which bears the curtain winding and locking devices. Fig. 3 is a front view of what is shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on a plane indicated by the line no a", Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view of the curtain-channel and a portion of the curtain, taken on a plane indicated by the line 3/ y, Fig. 1, looking down. Fig. 6 shows a series of curtain-roller latches for as many separate windows and means whereby all said latches may be released simultaneously upon an undue rise of temperature opposite'any of the several windows.

In the several views like characters of reference designatecorresponding parts, and 1 and l designate the left and right hand end casings, respectively, as viewed in Fig. 1.

v These end casings are secured in any appropriate manner tothe top of the window-opening.

Fixed in the right-hand end casing, as shown in Fig. 1, is a stationary shaft 2, upon which turns two heads or collars 2 and 2, to which is fixed one end of a roller or drum 3. With in the drum is a coil-spring 4, secured at one of its ends to the collar 2 and at the other to an appropriate collar 2 fixed to the shaft, so that when the drum is turned on the fixed shaft 2 the spring is placed under tension. In the leftj hand end casing 1 is a short shaft 2, journaled to turn freely in said casing, and on this shaft is keyed a head 2*, to which is secured the other end of the drum 3.'

The shaft 2 projects beyond the end casing -1 and has keyed to it a beveled gear 5, that is is mounted, can be made longitudinally movable and means provided for locking said shaft in the engaging and disengaging position of said pinion. For this purpose this shaft 6 is made with two circumferential grooves 6 and 6, either of which can be engaged by a hook 6 pivoted at (S on the outer side of the outer bracket 6 ,said ho0k when engaged with either of said grooves 6 and 6 preventing longitu dinal displacement of the shaft. The hook 6 is omitted from Fig. 4 to permit illustration of the grooves; but said hook is clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. Keyed on the shaft 2 between the end casing and the bevel-gear 5 is shown a four-armed device 7, the extremity of one of which arms is adapted to be engaged by a notched lever 8, pivoted at 8 on the outer side of the end casing, and pivoted to a bracket 9*, cast on the outer side of the end casing 1, is a gravity or spring actuated latch 9, having a shoulder adapted to support the free end of the lever 8 after the latter is raised to engage one of the arms 7. This latch 9 is held in position to latch the lever 8 by means of a sectional wire 10, secured together at one or more points 10 by a solder fusible on a dangerous rise of temperature and fastened to an opposite fixed point 10". (See Fig. 1.)

Several of the arms 7 are provided, so that the tension of the spring may be adapted to the work to be done. In other words, the tension of the spring when the roller is attached should be such as to permit the curtain to descend when released and at the same time so far counterbalance the curtain as to permit it to be easily raised. The tension of the spring therefore will be varied to accord with the weight of the curtain.

When the curtain is nearly counterbalanced, it may be necessary in some instances to provide means for giving the curtain an initial movement downward upon the release of the roller-holding latches 9. For this purpose I have shown fingers 11, attached to the lower edge or bar 3 of the curtain, provided with coil-springs 12, the lower ends of which are hooked over hooks 13, secured to the curtainchannels 14:. These springs'12 when the curtains are raised are under stress, so that the moment the curtain-roller is released they start the curtain down, and in the descent of the curtain the springs will slip off the hooks 13 and therefore not interfere with the free and complete downward movement of the same.

Where a number of fireproof curtains are employed on the side of a building, it is important that all the curtains be released upon a rise of temperature at any point of that side, and, as before indicated, I have shown in Fig. 6 means for effecting this result. In this view there are to be as many curtains as latches shown. These latches are connected by a practically continuous non-fusible wire 10 The right-hand end of this wire is shown to be attached to one arm of a lever 15, fulcrumed zit 15. The other arm of said lever 15 has attached to it a wire 10, composed of several sections and connected by readily-fusible links or joints 10. This wire is run parallel to the wire 10 or across all the window-openings and attached to a fixed point 10", so that if any one of said fusible joints 10 is melted all the latches 9 will be released. If gravity is insufiicient to operate said latches 9 to release the curtain-rollers, I can attach to the left-hand latch 9 a spring 16, a bell-crank lever 17 being interposed between said latch and said spring, if desired.

It will be observed that with the present construction the curtain cannot descend with great violence when released, because it must pull against the tension of the spring 4', and it will be further observed that because the curtain is counterbalanced by this spring the curtain may be easily raised by the occupants for releasing said rotary shaft by a dangerous rise of temperature.

2. In a fireproof blind, the combination of end casings, a shaft fixed in one of said casings, a rotary shaft connected with and supporting the roller in the opposite end casing, means connected with said shaft for holding the same temporarily from rotation, means for releasing said holding means by a dangerous rise of temperature, and means connected with said shaft for operating it to wind up the curtain.

3. In a fireproof blind, the combination of end casings, a shaft fixed in one of said casings, a curtain-winding drum to turn on said shaft, a coil-spring encircling said fixed shaft fixed at one end and connected to the drum at the other, a rotary shaft connected with the roller and supporting it in the opposite end casing, means for temporarily holding fixed said rotary shaft comprising an arm fixed thereto and projecting laterally therefrom, a lever engaged by said arm and a latch to hold said lever in engagement with said arm and means fusible by a dangerous rise of temperature to release said latch.

4. In a fireproof blind, the combination of means for holding the same in raised position, means for automatically releasing the same on adangerous rise of temperature, and means supplemental to the weight of the ourtain for giving an initial movement only to said blind upon the release thereof.

5. In a fireproof blind, the combination of end casings, a shaft fixed in one of said casings, l

a curtain-winding drum to turn on said shaft, a spring between said drum and fixed shaft, a rotary shaft supporting the roller in the op- IIO posite end casing, means for engaging and 7. In combination with a series of fireproof In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in blinds, latches for holding said blinds in raised presence of two witnesses.

position, a non-fusible Wire connecting said latches, a lever to which said wire is attached, E D WARD MOOLOUD 5 a wire severalole on a dangerous rise of tern- Witnesses:

perature also connected to said lever and fas- SAMUEL W. LATHAM,

tened to hold said latches in latching position. GEORGE M. FINOKEL. 

